


impulses

by flyingroses121



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: 1k, i wrote this all in one night and edited it twice, impulsive teen shit lmao, the magic of getting into a new fandom, tw needles, tw piercing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:40:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21909841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flyingroses121/pseuds/flyingroses121
Summary: Sasha, Mick, and Juno meet up after a hard day of school for some much needed relaxation. What they do is neither needed or relaxing.WARNING!!! THIS FIC CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGERY OF NEEDLES AND PIERCING.
Relationships: Peter Nureyev/Juno Steel
Comments: 5
Kudos: 60





	impulses

**Author's Note:**

> i had a late night craving, so i put on the uber eats cap and delivered myself. enjoy!

Benten was spending time with some of his other friends today. Not like he was friends with Sasha and Mick. They were Juno’s friends- Benten was just Juno’s twin brother, as far as they were concerned. In fact, they were some of the only people who didn’t drop Juno for his twin. He was glad of it… he really loved Sasha and Mick.

Juno sank onto a bench in the courtyard, resting his chin on his hand before picking at whatever the cafeteria had decided to serve them today. Looked like… some kind of noodle dish, a weird brown sauce haphazardly flung across the tray.. Like hell he was going to put it in his mouth.

Mick joined him soon. “JJ, you’ll never guess what I saw.” He said, a dumb idiot grin on his face.

Sasha sat next to Mick with annoyance in her eyes. “Was it another martian?” She asked with a smirk.

Juno snickered, moving his hand to his nose. “What was it, Mick?”

“While I was on the road, I saw an unmarked van. I think it might have had weapons or something in it. You think they’re from the war?” He asked in a quiet voice.

Sasha shook her head. “I highly doubt that. Why would it be on Mars? The war is mostly in the Outer Rim.” She picked up her fork and did exactly what Juno had done- pick around. He could tell she didn’t trust it either.

Mick shrugged, grin still plastered onto his face. “Whatever you say. Believe me or don’t.” He pushed his tray away from him. “You guys doing anything after school?” He asked.

“I have to watch Annie, but you’re welcome to come over if you want.” Sasha answered.

“I’d rather be anywhere but home.” Juno said.

“Stuff with mom happen?” Sasha asked, eyebrows knitted with sympathy.

Even though it was from a friend, and he knew it was in good intention, Juno felt a flash of anger at the sympathy. “What do you think?” He asked with a half grimace. “She flipped on me last night for no reason.”

“Thought I’d ask.” Sasha held up her hands. “You’re welcome to come to my place, too. Annie will be happy to see you. Benzaiten is welcome to come over, too.”

“Benten’s probably going to stay home with mom. He’s also got practice after school.” Juno replied.

“Awesome! We can all be together once again!” Mick said triumphantly.

Juno looked up at the clock in the courtyard. “How long is lunch?”

“Twenty minutes. Why? Got somewhere to be, tough guy?” Sasha asked with an idiot grin of her own.

Juno rolled his eyes with a huff. “I just want to know how much time I have until the day is done.” He said, resting his chin on his hand once again.

“I understand. It feels like… this place is trying harder and harder to kill us with every school day.” Sasha replied, folding her arms under her.

“C’mon, guys. At least we’re here together.” Mick, always the optimist. His stupid grin was replaced with a genuine smile.

Juno shrugged and smiled back at him. “Yeah, I guess.” Mick was right. The day was more bearable with the two of them.

-

The entire student body seemed to have breathed a collective sigh of relief when the school day finally ended. Benten waved goodbye to Juno as he hurried off to whatever practice he had today. Juno made his way to Sasha’s house, as planned.

What he saw when he got there was not planned.

He didn’t bother to knock when he got there. Inside, Annie was sitting on the couch, a book sprawled in her lap. “Are Mick and Sasha here yet?” He asked her.

“Yes, Juno, over there!” Annie nodded and pointed to the right of her, into the hallway leading to the bathroom.

Juno walked into the living room and nodded to her with a smile before heading into the bathroom. “What a- oh my god, Mick.” Juno said, stopping short at the door.

Sasha was sitting at the edge of the bathtub, getting her ears pierced by Mick. “JJ! You’re here! You want your ears pierced, too?”

Juno was at a loss for words. “I… I thought we would play video games or something, not pierce each others fu-” he was silenced by a glare from Sasha, “each others ears.” Juno put the toilet lid down and sat down on it. “Why are you piercing her ears? Sasha, why are you letting him do this?”

“I don’t know how I got here.” Sasha said with a defeated look.

“My uncle taught me how to pierce ears. He did mine a few days ago. It’s easy, J! Look! All you gotta do is clean up a needle, put some rubbing alcohol on the earlobe, then stick it through!” Mick said, looking briefly to Juno before turning back to Sasha’s tomato red earlobe.

Juno’s expression was concerned, terrified, and fascinated all at once. “You know what? Do mine when you’re done with hers.” Juno said, letting his bag fall to the floor beside him.

Sasha yelped in pain, hand moving to hold on to her ear when Mick was done. “You’re okay! This is why we have the ice pack.” Mick grabbed a plastic bag full of ice beside him and handed it to Sasha, who took it graciously. Mick then turned back to Juno. “Sounds great, J! Take a seat!” He gestured to the other side of the bathtub.

Juno couldn’t deny that he was… nervous. Mick Mercury, King of the Freeway, giving him an impromptu piercing? Who wouldn’t be nervous? But he pushed it down. “You got any earrings here?” Juno asked as Mick readied his ear.

“I do! Sasha gets first pick since she got her ears done first. By the way, Sasha, make sure you clean those before putting them in.”

“I was planning on it.”

“Alright, J, you ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

After that, Juno felt an incredibly sharp pain in his ear. He sucked in a breath and scrunched his nose as the needle went clean through his ear. “Why does that hurt so bad… Sasha, ice pack.” He held his hand out as Mick moved to Junos other side to pierce his other ear.

Sasha dropped the ice pack into his hand. “Maybe it hurts so bad because there’s a really sharp needle going through your ear?”

Juno shot her a glare and resisted the urge to flip her off as Mick plunged the needle into his other ear. Juno let out a yell this time. “Mick, a little warning would have been great!” He refrained from using any colorful words- Sasha would kill him if he said anything like that while Annie was in the other room.

“Sorry, J! I figured it would be better to do it while you were distracted. Now, get some earrings, pretty lady!” He patted him on the back with a big smile.

Juno stood with a grumble. “Damn right I’m a pretty lady.” He said as he looked at the array of earrings Mick had laid out.

“That doesn’t bother you?” Sasha asked softly as she fixed some hoops into her ears.

“I’m nonbinary.” Juno simply said.

“Cool.” Sasha replied, smiling at her reflection. “How do I look?” She turned to Juno with a confident smile.

Juno turned to her as he held some silver studs in his hand. “Great.” He cleaned the studs, like Mick had suggested, then put them in. “I look so good.” He said, laughing softly. Even though his red earlobes still throbbed lightly, he really liked how he looked with the earrings.

Sasha poked her head out as she heard the door open. “My parents are home. Mick, you should probably pack up and go. Who knows what my parents would do if they knew you did this?” She turned to him with a small smile.

“Got it. I’m glad I could make you ladies feel a little more confident. Mercury out.” He flashed a peace sign before packing his stuff up and leaving, saying goodbye to Annie as he left.

Juno checked the time then picked up his bag. “I think I’m going to walk Benten home from practice. See you, Sasha.”

“Bye, Steel.”

-

“Hey, Super Steel!” Benten said, smiling and waving at his twin when he saw him.

“Hey. I came to walk you home.” Juno said, pushing his hands into his pockets.

“Figured as much! Where have y- Juno, your ears!” His eyes were wide as he came closer to investigate his ears.

“Like em? Mercury did it.” He turned his head from side to side. “Don’t touch,” he leaned away from Benten, “they still hurt a bit.”

Benten laughed softly and started walking. “What’s mom gonna say? If you need me to cover, I will.”

Juno huffed and rolled his eyes. “Who cares? It’s my body. If I want to stick metal in it, I think that’s my business.”

“Juno, seriously. What if she flips?”

“Benten, I’m gonna be fine. She’s not gonna flip. Hopefully. If she does… I’ll take the fall. You don’t deserve to be punished for my impulses.” Juno said as he walked.

They got to the front door soon, and just as Juno turned the handle…

-

Juno woke up on the Carte Blanche.

He took in a breath and let an arm cover his eyes. Why had his brain decided to show him those memories? Memories of Oldtown, memories of him and Sasha and Mick… and Benten. He sighed softly and let his hand slowly fall to his side. It landed on another hand. He turned to see who it was, and…

It was Nureyev, sleeping soundly beside him. Juno couldn’t help but smile. They hadn’t done anything- just slept in each others arms. That was better, Juno thought. He turned on his side and focused on his breathing as he watched Nureyev sleep.

As Juno watched him, he became… incredibly overwhelmed with emotion. He took a shaky breath, pushed his face into a pillow just before he started crying. Part of him wanted desperately to go back to the days where him, Sasha, and Mick did stupid, impulsive shit, the days where him and Benten were practically attached at the hip… the days where mom was bearable. After Northstar, but before she got too bad. He was happy to remember those days, but it saddened him at the same time.

“Juno? Juno, dear.” Nureyev’s calming voice filled his ears. He gently pushed on his shoulder.

Juno looked up at him, letting himself smile. “Morning.” He said, sniffling.

Nureyev smiled back at him, concern in his eyes. “Are you alright?” He asked softly.

Juno took in a slow breath. “Yeah. Just… had a really good dream.”

“Want to tell me about it?” Peter reached down and took his hand, lacing their fingers together and running his thumb along his.

“Sure. Ever wonder how I got my ears pierced?”

“It’s a tale I’ve never been offered, but an interesting tale still. I would love to know.”

“Great! It all started on another miserable day in Oldtown…”


End file.
